Direct DDA to redevelop Kathputli colony: AAP to Naidu

Delhi and Development Commission (DDC) Vice Chairman Ashish Khaitan today sought Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu's intervention in rehabilitation and development of Kathputli slum colony in the national capital.
In a letter to Naidu, Khaitan asked the Union Urban Development minster to issue directions to Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to rehabilitate the Kathputli colony JJ basti as per the policy and the protocol notified by DUSIB, being the nodal agency.
He also highlighted the "plight" of the people living in the colony and sought time to meet Naidu to sort out the issue.
In 2009, DDA had signed an agreement with a private developer for "in situ slum development" of the colony spread over 5.2 hectares of land.

The project proposes to resettle the resident families in 2,800 multi-storey flats and the remaining land would be given for commercial purposes.
"Since the slum was under rehabilitation, at least on paper, even steps for in-situ improvement have not been taken. As a result, the living conditions in the basti have gone from bad to worse. Hundreds of families comprising infants, elderly people and women, are living in conditions which are not fit for human habitation," the AAP leader said in the letter.
Open drains overflowing with sewage, electricity wires hanging dangerously low, garbage scattered all around, entire area stinking with the smell of human faeces and municipal solid waste make the colony virtually Dante's hell, he said.

"I would personally like to come and discuss how the matter could be resolved urgently and to the satisfaction of the inhabitants of the said basti," he added.